Photo Night at Top of the Park in the Roots Lounge

Check out a collection of photos from AnnArbor.com's second photo night taken from the Roots Lounge at Top of the Park on Tuesday evening.

Gov. Snyder signs next Michigan budget into law

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 4:41 PM]

In this February 2012 file photo, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder talks about his budget proposal during a news conference in Lansing.

Al Goldis | The Associated Press

The $48 billion spending plan for the budget year that starts Oct. 1 is law.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed the budget bills during a ceremony Tuesday afternoon at the Romney Building across from the Capitol.

The package includes a small cut in individual income taxes, twice as much money for film credits, a slight increase in education funding and a down payment on school employees' health care costs in retirement.

The Republican-controlled House and Senate passed the budget bills three weeks ago. Snyder had the right to veto portions of the bills.

Democrats have criticized the GOP budget plan for not spending more on education.

Board reinstates former U-M provost Teresa Sullivan as University of Virginia president

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 4:05 PM]

Students and faculty members hold up signs during a Rally for Honor Sunday at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.

AP Photo

The University of Virginia governing board has unanimously voted to reinstate President Teresa Sullivan.

Sullivan, who served as provost at University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus from 2006-2010, was ousted two weeks ago by efforts of Board of Visitors Rector Helen Dragas, who later told the public she did not believe Sullivan was moving quickly enough on funding, staffing and curriculum issues.

But during a 3 p.m. Tuesday meeting —before which she spoke to Sullivan privately— Dragas said she was willing to move forward with Sullivan and supported a motion to reinstate her.

"Thank you for renewing your confidence in me," Sullivan said after being reinstated. "I do not ask that we sweep any differences under the rug, but rather that we engage with candor and respect."

After reinstating Sullivan, 14 of the board members voted in confidence of Dragas, who abstained from the vote.

“We have both come to the conclusion that it is time to bring the U-Va. family back together,” Dragas said during the meeting. “We have always respected each other on a personal level and we still do.”

Since Sullivan's forced resignation over two weeks ago there's been an outpouring of criticism directed at Dragas and the board. Top professors have resigned or threatened to leave the university, hundreds of students have protested the removal and donors have expressed frustration with the turmoil.

At the time, U-M Board of Regents Chair Denise Ilitch, who worked with Sullivan during her time as U-M provost, said Sullivan's removal "was very disappointing" and a "loss" for U-Va.

Former board of visitors rector and current member Heywood Fralin proposed the resolution to reinstate Sullivan. He called the process used to remove her "flawed," apologized for not intervening sooner and said he was never presented with evidence that convinced him Sullivan was performing poorly.

After her reinstatement, Sullivan urged for an open dialogue with the board moving forward.

"I need to have your support," she said. "I need you to reach out to your networks around the commonwealth and the world to help us move forward."

During remarks on the U-Va lawn after the meeting, Sullivan warned peer institutions not to try to woo faculty from Charlottesville.

Willow Run amends deficit elimination plan to include closing Willow Run High School in 2013

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 3:35 PM]

The Willow Run Community Schools Board of Education approved an amended deficit elimination plan that would call for closing the high school, the Ypsilanti Courier reported.

Where high school students would be housed if the current building is shut down is not clear at this time. Per the deficit elimination plan, the high school would close its doors prior to the 2013-14 academic year.

The Willow Run Community School's mascot, the Fliers, logo on the brick at the high school building.

Courtesy photo

Willow Run must achieve a positive fund balance by June 30, 2014 to satisfy the state. The deficit elimination plan does not need to be followed precisely; however, the district must be capable of defending the plan, school officials previously explained.

The district has been steadily losing students, creating significant space in numerous buildings. In 2010-11, it experienced a population loss of nearly 42 percent, compared with student count data from 2009-10.

Closing the high school could save Willow Run approximately $1.4 million in instructional costs, the Courier reported.

Willow Run Community Schools is $1.7 million in the red, according to data released in May. The district is exploring consolidation with Ypsilanti Public Schools, with a possible merger proposal to appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot for voters of the districts to decide. Ypsilanti has a current deficit of about $9.9 million.

Michigan State Police troopers arrested three men near Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport after they allegedly robbed a bank in Jackson and were spotted driving through Washtenaw County by an Ann Arbor police detective.

Michigan State Police Sgt. Chris Pascoe said the three men are the prime suspects in a robbery at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at a Citizen’s Bank in Jackson, 1712 E. Michigan Ave. Two men fled the area in a white Ford Bronco with an undisclosed amount of money, according to a report in the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

An Ann Arbor police detective in an unmarked car, alerted by a “be on the lookout” call, spotted the suspects' vehicle, Pascoe said.

The detective then radioed state police troopers, who pursued the suspects through the rest of Washtenaw County, eventually making the arrests near the airport in Wayne County.

The Citizen Patriot reported the bank robbery suspects were armed with handguns.

Pascoe said all of the money was recovered during the traffic stop.

Ann Arbor police provided back up for the state police troopers while they made the arrest. The two agencies are now working with the Jackson Police Department on the rest of the investigation.

Pascoe was still working to find out details of the pursuit and was not sure about the speeds involved in the chase or details of how the traffic stop took place.

U-M business course offers Kilimanjaro climb for $14,300

A new course at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business Executive Education offers the chance to learn about leadership by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the school announced Tuesday.

University of Michigan photo

Professor Scott DeRue will lead the weeklong course, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 29, the Ann Arbor school said. The $14,300 cost includes tuition, climbing guide and park permit fees, group gear and equipment, meals, ground transportation and three nights' hotel stay in Tanzania.

Participants will lead the expedition, and DeRue will help translate lessons from climbing the mountain to business leadership.

"Climbing is the ideal experiential laboratory for learning leadership skills to transform you and your organization's performance," DeRue said in a statement.

The course is designed to be suitable for beginners and experienced hikers, the school said. It's scheduled to be offered a second time starting Sept. 9, 2013.

Mother Nature plays a role in this week's photo poll

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 2:09 PM]

Check out what our photographers have been shooting over the past week and vote for your favorite!

With 43 percent of the vote, here's last week's winner:

Storm clouds roll in over downtown Ann Arbor looking west.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

PNC Bank in Ypsilanti Township robbed for second time this year

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 1:56 PM]

The PNC Bank on Rawsonville Road in Ypsilanti Township was robbed just after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the second robbery at the bank this year.

Sgt. Geoffrey Fox, of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, said a man robbed the bank of an unknown amount of cash and fled the area on foot. Fox said the man then got into a red or burgundy vehicle with two other men inside and fled the area in an unknown direction.

The suspect in Tuesday’s robbery is described as a white man with a thin build, curly blond hair, a white sweatshirt and sunglasses, Fox confirmed. Two other white men were in the car when the man got in the vehicle, Fox said.

It’s unknown if the man had a weapon or implied to tellers that he did. Fox said police are reviewing video from the Speedway gas station near the bank, where the red or burgundy vehicle was waiting for the suspect, Fox said.

Anyone with information on this suspect is encouraged to call 911. Check back to AnnArbor.com for more information on this incident as it becomes available.

Menard Inc. faces its biggest hurdle Tuesday night in its plans to build a home improvement store on Jackson Road in Scio Township.

To build the 160,000-square-foot store at the intersection of Jackson and Staebler roads just west of Ann Arbor, the Wisconsin-based company is requesting to rezone a 62-acre site — known as the former Farmer Grant land — to general commercial.

Police: Public played key role in helping US-23 crash victims; 911 tapes offer no clues to hit-and-run

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 1:28 PM]

Warning: The second 911 call contains descriptions of where victims were found following Friday afternoon's crash. Reader discretion is advised.

Police say 911 calls made after Friday's crash that killed two Royal Oak children reveal nothing about a second vehicle involved in the crash, though they help emphasize the public's role in the immediate response to the tragedy and the search for a hit-and-run suspect.

Michigan State Police investigate a fatal accident Friday afternoon on US 23 South near Michigan Avenue.

Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derrick Jackson said the calls were two of about 15 similar calls made to Washtenaw County dispatchers reporting the accident just after 3 p.m. Friday on southbound US-23 south of Michigan Avenue.

The Michigan State Police are calling the incident a hit-and-run crash and are still searching for a woman who was driving a silver Honda Odyssey that they believe moved into the victims' lane.

None of the 911 calls following the crash mentions a hit and run or a suspect vehicle, according to Jackson.

However, the first caller in the audio recordings presented at the end of this story mentioned a number of people who had stopped on the side of the highway to help the injured victims. The second caller gave an accurate description of how many people were injured in the crash. Officials said Tuesday that both calls - along with others -helped ambulance, police and fire crews appropriately respond to the crash.

Witnesses and the driver of the 1999 Ford Expedition, Dawn Siegel, told police the Odyssey drove away after sideswiping the full-size SUV, causing the Expedition to roll several times and end up upside down in the median. Siegel was driving with her four children and two step-children.

Jordan Siegel, 14, and Ashley Siegel, 12, were both declared dead at the scene of the crash. Their funerals were scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Police are calling the severity of the accident "exceptionally violent." However, the public's response has provided critical assistance.

The first 911 call indicates a number of people stopped at the scene of the accident and attempted to help out the family. Huron Valley Ambulance spokeswoman Joyce Williams said these bystanders can play a vital role in medical personnel’s response to a tragic accident.

“There are always things bystanders can do,” she said. “They can fetch equipment, they can stay with people who are clearly shaken up.

"People are able to hold someone’s hand or just stay with them, because people are going to be very upset and in shock, and to have one person focusing on them (helps).”

Huron Valley Ambulance dispatchers often ask for a 911 caller’s name, phone number, address and the location of the emergency they’re reporting before getting into details, Williams said.

Often, the number of people who are injured in an accident or incident and the severity of their injuries is the most important thing for medical personnel to know when heading to a scene, she said.

Dispatchers will often want to know if injured people are breathing or bleeding to prepare first responders as well, she said.

“If you have an accident, then you want to know how many people (are injured),” she said. “That’s one of the biggest things we’ve gotta know. If we have a lot of patients, we need to send more units.”

Jackson said deputies are usually most concerned about the seriousness of the injuries in an accident. With the level of “traffic accident” ranging from mild fender bender to the tragic situation on US-23 on Friday, it’s important for deputies to know how serious the situation is.

“The more information the deputies have the better prepared they are to respond,” he said. “If they’re responding to a suspect fleeing, more information about the potential suspect (can allow) them to be looking for the suspect as they approach the scene.”

Michigan State Police investigators are still looking for any information that can lead to an arrest in the case. The woman driving the Honda Odyssey, reported to be silver with heavy front-end damage, was described as being in her 40s, according to police.

Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587) or the Michigan State Police Brighton Post at 810-227-1051. If calling the post, ask for Trooper Nolan Pryzyblo, the lead investigator on the case.

Funeral services for the children were arranged by the Dorfman Chapel in Farmington Hills.

Early Monday evening, the all-too-familiar sound of sirens rang through the neighborhood as the Dexter Area Fire Department responded to a house fire at 6:06 p.m.

The 3500 block of Noble Drive in Huron Farms subdivision in Dexter suffered some of the most severe damage during a tornado in March.

Firefighters were on the scene by 6:09 p.m., and were able to quickly extinguish the fire and minimize damage to the room of origin, said Lt. Michael Grissom.

Grissom said the department used a thermal imaging camera to determine the source of smoke billowing from the home was a small fire inside an attic space above a closet.

The scene was clear by 7:06 p.m. with the majority of the time spent making sure insulation inside the walls wasn’t in danger of reigniting.

“We wanted to make sure we got all of that under control,” Grissom said.

The home was still under construction after suffering tornado damage back in March and therefore had no personal belongings inside. Damage was limited to drywall, carpet, insulation, and some structural damage. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and a damage estimate was not available.

The Scio Township Fire Department responded to the fire as well.

Below you can see video from the 3500 block of Noble Drive in Dexter after a tornado in March:

Pittsfield Township police have released a composite drawing of a suspect in the robbery of an AT&T store on Carpenter Road Monday morning.

Sketch of robbery suspect.

Police said the man, who forced an employee inside the store when she arrived to unlock it about 9:20 a.m., showed a gun and asked for money. The employee didn’t have access to the safe, so he took 20 or more smartphones from the store, 3765 Carpenter Road, Police Chief Gordy Schick said Monday.

The suspect is described as a black man with a medium build, about 21 to 27 years old. He is believed to be 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10 inches tall. He was wearing dark clothing and a hooded sweatshirt. His face was partially covered, but a thin goatee was visible.

After the robbery he fled with another man who was waiting outside in a newer model, dark gray Nissan (possibly an Altima), with dark interior and a standard white Michigan license plate. The second suspect is described as a black man, also wearing dark clothing and a hoodie and also believed to be between 21 and 27 years old.

Anyone with information is asked to call Pittsfield Township police at 734-822-6045 or the tip line at 734-822-4958.

Missing 14-year-old girl found safe

Unique Imaria Patterson was found after someone saw her picture in an AnnArbor.com article, her mother, Anne Lynn, wrote in an email Monday night.

The girl had been missing since June 19.

Crash backs up traffic on U.S. 23 north of Ann Arbor

[Posted by June 26, 2012, 7:46 AM]

A two-car crash was tying up traffic on southbound U.S. 23 headed into Ann Arbor Tuesday morning.

The property-damage crash was near Barker Road in the Whitmore Lake area, a dispatcher with the Washtenaw County sheriff’s department said. A tow-truck was on the way at 7:40 a.m., the dispatcher said.

A Google map showed a lengthy backup on the freeway, extending to I-96 in Livingston County.